Local Salon and Spa Brings Sense of Community to Customers

A pedicure where you can take the bottle of polish home. A spa that’s lined with local art. A VIP party where long tendrils of hair are donated to Locks of Love. These are the things that make Kathryn Simpson’s Golden Valley salon and spa, a little different than most salons.

“There’s really nothing like us in Golden Valley,” Simpson says of her spa.

Simpson has been in love with all things beauty since she was a little girl. After attending Minnesota’s Aveda Institute, she went on to own a hair salon in Plymouth.  “I’ve been doing hair since I was 18,” Simpson, now 43, said. “I started cutting my friends’ hair, and I just loved it.”

With her early-found passion for hair and makeup, and after feeling limited by her small space in Plymouth, Simpson decided to close up shop and try something different in Golden Valley.  In June, Simpson opened The Beauty Lab, which is located in the city’s Town Square.

“There’s so much science behind beauty,” Simpson said. “A lab is something that’s always changing and evolving. That’s where we came up with the name.”

Beauty Lab currently employs nine people who specialize in hair, makeup, nails and skin care. Simpson hopes to add massage to her salon in the near future. Aside from beautifying customers, Simpson wants to focus on becoming part of the community.

“Community outreach is very important to us,” Simpson said. This summer, her  team spent time learning about their new home in Golden Valley, including a stint at the local Farmers Market.  

“Golden Valley has so much community spirit, and that’s really what The Beauty Lab is about,” Simpson said. “We’re a community within a community.”